Research in journalism and communication is facing unpresented challenges in terms of disciplinary development, media convergence and social transformation.

Internet and multimedia technology have changed the models of news dissemination. In response, research in journalism and communication should seize this opportunity for further development and innovation.

New development

Huang Chuxin, dean of the Journalism Research Office of the Institute of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that research in journalism and communication should use new means of communication to reform and innovate. In the big data era, data from every individual user can be used to enrich research.

Chen Lidan, a professor from the School of Journalism and Communication at Renmin University of China, argued that China has ample experience in media convergence. Rich experience is expected to promote innovative capability among Chinese news agencies.

Chao Naipeng, a professor from the School of Journalism and Communication at Nanjing University, argued that research in journalism and communication must draw new materials from emerging disciplines, such as network science, complexity science and psychophysiology, in this era of social reform and technological advancements.

The rise and development of the Internet has not only promoted a transformation of society but also altered the media ecology in China, shaping a new media pattern. Dong Tiance, dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Chongqing University, said that research in journalism and communication is facing unpresented challenges in terms of disciplinary development, media convergence and social transformation. It has come to a turning point requiring deepening innovation and reform.

Weakness

The past few years have witnessed remarkable progress in journalism and communication research in China. But this research still lacks original theoretical achievements that have a global influence.

Huang said that in regard to major research questions in journalism and communication, Chinese academia has discarded traditional research methods and has begun to probe into development law and the future aspects of journalism and communication, deepening and broadening its scope to a large degree.

Hu Chunyang, a professor from the Fudan Journalism School at Fudan University, said that research in journalism and communication is embracing diversity. Research topics are growing more plentiful, research paradigms more standardized and disciplines are becoming more specialized. He said that in the future he thinks there will be more conversations between Chinese and global academics.

Although research in journalism and communication has made drastic progress, the lack of ordinary theoretical achievements poses a major problem. Huang contended that this dilemma stems from the imported nature of the discipline. It also results from the weak level of creativity among Chinese scholars. For example, not much effort has been made to raise new ideas and constructing theoretical frameworks. As an independent discipline, the theoretical base of journalism and communication is still weak. A unified understanding and intact theoretical system is hard to establish due to a lack of research.

“If research is not problem oriented, research questions would be meaningless, and theoretical innovation is not likely to happen,” Hu said. Research in journalism and communication today should focus on interpreting the classic theories in communication science and standardizing research paradigms.

Reality based

What is the best way for deepening and innovating communication theories in an era dominated by social transformation and media convergence?

Huang argued that communication research should be based on domestic conditions but a global perspective is needed. China must increase the influence of domestic journalism in the international community. While focusing on domestic development and academic exchange in communication, more attention should be paid to research frontiers and heated topics in the international journalism community.

Chen suggested that research methodologies should be integrated. Apart from integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis, more integration should be seen in the areas of humanities, history and philosophy.

Chao said that a model for local journalism discourse should be established to explain Chinese problems. Western communication theories, though noteworthy, cannot be indiscriminately copied.